Sex, Steel, and Jazz
by SawyerRaleigh
Summary: AU set in the 1920's. Kakyou finds himself working for a wealthy steel tycoon and quickly befriends his son, Subaru and falls in love with his daughter, Hokuto. However chaos strikes when young entrepreneur, Seishirou Sakurazuka arrives on the scene...
1. The Ides of March

_Author's Note: You may be wondering why I have set the majority of this fanfic in the 1920's. Imagine Seishirou in a fedora._

_That's why._

_Anyway, because this is set in the past, I intend to include plenty of historical notes and explanations along with the story to help it make sense. I will put numbers likes this [1] next to bits that I feel need some explanation. I've been doing a lot of research regarding this time period in Japan so I'm trying to keep it at least somewhat historically accurate. XD _

_P.S. Kudos to anyone who knows the significance of the date that the story begins. :P (Hint: It actually doesn't have to do with Japan.)_

_._

_._

_March 15__th__, 1917_

"I think I saw him go that way!"

"No, look there are footprints right here."

_Damn the snow_. Kakyou thought with a wince. He was practically leaving a trail that led straight to himself.

He veered off to the side down an alleyway and kicked the snow around so that it would look more haphazard again as he went. Then he spotted a pub a few yards away.

"Hurry up!" The thugs couldn't be far behind; they would turn the corner and see him any moment. Without thinking, Kakyou dove behind the pile of barrels beside the pub and curled into a small ball.

His breath formed little evanescent puffs that quickly dissipated before his eyes and he imagined himself vanishing into the frozen night air with them. _Now you see me, now you don't._ He thought, remembering a magician that he had seen once a few years ago.

A group of men huffing and puffing from exertion found their way down the alley, their wheezes and murmurs echoing off of the brick walls enclosing them. They spread out, searching every nook and cranny of the alleyway and Kakyou shrank back against the wall behind him, wishing he could sink into it or turn the same color as the bricks like those lizards he had read about. Much to his horror though, the men found their way to the pub all too quickly.

"Check behind those barrels!" A gruff voice demanded, muffled by wood and snow.

"I can't see anything."

"Then move the barrels, you idiot!"

A chorus of grumbling gave way to groans of effort and Kakyou felt his heart stop as the top barrel was lifted away. He eyed the space to his left but realized that if he tried to sneak out that way he would have to scale the fence and there was no way they wouldn't notice him.

Another barrel disappeared and Kakyou held his breath. His only chance was to use the element of surprise and make a run for it as soon as the stack was clear. One more to go and they would be able to see him sitting there plainly like a cornered mouse. Two pairs of hands grasped at it and lifted, just enough for Kakyou to see a small sliver of snow in front of him. He took a deep breath, ready to spring out between them when suddenly he heard the creak of a door opening and caught sight of lamplight spill out over the snow.

"Hey! What are you doing!"

"Get lost old man!" One of the thugs shouted in reply.

"Oh dear. First that boy, now you guys." A younger voice several feet away sighed. "I must not be in a very good neighborhood after all."

"Boy?" The barrel abruptly dropped with a heavy thud and Kakyou jumped, afraid for a split second that it would break.

"Yes, a blond-haired boy stole my wallet just a few minutes ago."

"Did you see which way he went?""I caught sight of him right as he was running off. He vanished down that alleyway down there but I couldn't quite catch up with him."

"Dammit!"

"He might be getting away already, come on!"

Kakyou heard the crunch of snow as the men dashed away and the disgruntled "hmpf" of the pub owner as he returned to the warmth of the restaurant. He gave a sigh of relief and began to crawl out from behind the barrels.

"Hello."

Kakyou froze and raised his head slowly, terrified that one of the thugs had stayed behind. Instead his eyes met the grinning face of an older teenage boy who was kneeling in the snow before him.

"This is an interesting place to hide." The boy remarked and Kakyou realized that he was the other voice he had heard a few minutes ago.

"I didn't steal your wallet!" He protested automatically.

The boy laughed. "I know that."

"Then why did you…"

"Did you want those men to catch you?"

Kakyou shook his head vigorously then realized what had happened. "Oh… thank you so much." He bowed as deeply as he could while still on his knees.

"Why were they after you anyway?"

Kakyou hesitated. Sure, the stranger had helped him so far but if he told him the truth would he turn around and turn Kakyou in or take him home?

"I won't tell anyone if you don't want me to." The boy commented, noticing the pause.

Kakyou stared at his hands in his lap. "My parents… they got into some debt… with the Yakuza[1]." He felt tears sting the corners of his eyes. "They've been avoiding them for a while but the Yakuza finally caught up with them and demanded repayment."

"And?" the teenager prompted.

"So they sold me."

The stranger didn't say anything for several long moments, his face carefully unreadable then he gave Kakyou a small smile.

"I see." He pulled himself to his feet. "What's your name, kid?"

"Kakyou."

"Last name?"

He shook his head, still staring at his knees. "You have to have a family to have a family name." He answered defiantly.

The boy chuckled. "Well I really need to be on my way but I wish you the best Kakyou." With that he tipped his hat and continued down the deserted street, whistling to himself.

.

.

The next several weeks were the worst of Kakyou's life. Day after day he struggled to not freeze or starve to death, building small fires at night out of old newspapers and sneaking scraps of food out of restaurants' trash bins. He was so cold, hungry, and miserable that he only ever slept in small, restless naps curled up behind buildings and under bridges.

As awful as these things were however, the worst part of all was the fear. He jumped at every shadow, winced at every sound, looked over his shoulder with every step. Desperation festered in him like an open wound, eating away at his dignity with every passing day and he began to wonder if it would be better to simply give in. Working for the Yakuza might be hell, but surely it would at least be a little warmer. It was just as these thoughts of surrender were beginning to really take root that one sunny day, he came across a little girl with bright green eyes who would alter the course of his life.

Actually it was more accurate to say that she came across him. He had just awoken from a fitful sleep beneath an itchy, moth-tailored coat and the first thing he saw was a pair of emerald eyes just inches away from his face, filling his vision as she would continue to do for the next several years.

"Are you alive?" Were the first words out of her mouth even as he blinked and squirmed away in surprise.

He had been ready to bolt at the realization that someone was watching him so closely, but when he saw that it was just a girl not much younger than himself, he paused.

"I guess you are." She commented, more to herself than to him.

"Who are you?" He demanded.

She gave him a dazzling smile and put her hands on her hips. "My name is Hokuto Sumeragi! And who are you Homeless-Person-san?

Kakyou bristled at the blunt label even if it was accurate. "Kakyou." He replied shortly.

Hokuto giggled. "Well you aren't very fragrant right now are you?[2]"

Kakyou blushed. "Well you try living on the street for a few weeks and see if you wind up smelling like roses!"

"Daddy won't me try being a bum." The girl replied with a thoughtful expression. "I tried that already. He sent Aoki-san to bring me home after only 2 hours because a neighbor told him I was begging on a street corner with this old hat I found."

"Why were you trying to live on the street if you have a home?"

"I wanted to know what it was like!" She knelt down in front of Kakyou again with her arms around her knees and he noticed that her stockings were crisply white and her patent leather shoes were so shiny that he could see his own ragged reflection in them. "So?" She demanded, her eyes wide with eager curiosity. "What is it like?"

Kakyou hung his head. "Awful."

Hokuto looked genuinely surprised by this. "Really?"

"Of course!" Kakyou snapped, trying to mask his own shame.

The girl tilted her head to one side like a cat considering a mouse. "Then why are you living like this?"

"Well what else am I supposed to do?"

"Go home to your parents?"

"I can't."

"How come?"

Kakyou bit his tongue, fighting both the urge to cry and the urge to lash out at the girl. "I just can't, okay?" He muttered, his voice hoarse with pain and frustration.

Hokuto studied him silently for a long time before standing up. He expected her to walk away and leave him to his flea-bitten quasi-peace but instead she held out a hand.

"Come home with me then."

.

.

"Absolutely not."

"But daddy!"

Kakyou stared at the carpet beneath his feet. It was a plush, Persian rug with an ornate lotus design woven into it with what looked like gold filigree details. His dirty feet looked so wrong against the rich material. He couldn't raise his head to look at the portraits on the walls because he couldn't shake the feeling that they were glaring at him, demanding that he leave the manor at once, before he soiled any more of their nice belongings.

_It's not my fault._ He wanted to tell them over the shouting match taking place in the next room over. _I didn't know what else to do._

But the paintings continued to silently judge.

"Um…"

Kakyou glanced up and for one disoriented moment found himself wondering why Hokuto was wearing boy's clothes. And how she could be in this room while she was still arguing with her father in the next one. Then he realized that green eyes curiously watching him now had a slightly more gentle and less mischievous look about them. The boy's body language was completely different too, Kakyou thought, noting the way he hesitated in the doorway like he was ready to retreat at any given moment.

"Hello." As hopeless and lost as Kakyou felt in this manor, the boy almost seemed moreso despite it clearly being his home. It sparked in him the odd desire to take control and coax the boy into relaxing.

"I'm Kakyou." He told the boy softly. "What's your name?"

The boy took a cautious step forward. "Subaru."

Kakyou nodded at the other wall separating them from the ongoing shouting match. "She's your sister isn't she?"

Subaru nodded shyly.

"You look a lot alike; are you twins?"

Another silent nod and step forward.

"That's interesting, I've never met twins before. Is it strange, having someone else who looks so much like you?"

Subaru shook his head. "I'm used to it." He replied softly.

"Oh, I guess that makes sense since you were born together huh?"

The boy shrugged then blushed slightly. "Um, if it's alright… may I ask you a question?"

Kakyou nodded warily.

"Your hair… why is it…"

"So long?" Kakyou tugged at a lock across his forehead, relieved that this was all the boy wanted to know.

Subaru shook his head quickly. "No, I mean why is it so light?"

"Huh?" Kakyou stared at him for a second then chuckled. "It's blond."

"How did it get that way though?"

"It was like that when I was born. I'm only half Japanese." Kakyou explained.

Subaru stared at him with open curiosity. From anyone else, it might have made him feel like a circus freak on display, but there was such an aura of innocence about the boy that Kakyou couldn't help but be somewhat amused if anything. "Really? What's the other half?" He wondered aloud.

"My mother was British."

"British?" Subaru contemplated this seriously for a moment. "As in someone from England right?"

"Right."

"So do you speak English?"

Kakyou nodded.

Subaru gave him a grave look before excusing himself politely and disappearing from the room. The shouting match between Hokuto and her father ended abruptly and a few minutes later they both entered the room.

The twins' father cleared his throat with a slightly defeated expression.

"Do you really speak English?" He addressed Kakyou directly without ceremony.

Kakyou was taken aback by the question but nodded.

"I've hired a tutor to teach the twins but having someone else to practice with would be very useful." [3]

Kakyou held his breath. Could things really be about to turn around for him after all?

"Are you willing to do some other chores around the house?" Their father demanded. "You'll have to show that you have a good work ethic if you are going to earn a living here."

Kakyou nodded eagerly. "Yes sir."

The twins' father studied him carefully like a jeweler inspecting a diamond for flaws. "Very well then. I'll have quarters prepared for you."

Hokuto gave a triumphant cry and leapt across the room to throw her arms around Kakyou's neck. He braved a small smile and hugged her back, noting as he looked over her shoulder that Subaru was watching them silently from behind his father's legs.

_Thank you._ Kakyou thought to him silently. _I owe you for this._

.

.

_Notes:_

_1. Yakuza: The Japanese mafia essentially_

_2. Kakyou: From what I could find, the name Kakyou means "fragrant view" but if anyone finds something that says otherwise, please let me know!_

_3. At this time in Japan it was becoming popular, and sometimes necessary, to learn English. The next chapter will get into this more but the Sumeragi family owns a steel manufacturing company and businesses like this were expanding due to foreign demand, especially from countries such as the U.S. so they definitely would have wanted to learn English in order to trade. _


	2. A Bird in the Hand

_Author's Note: Yay Yuzuriha and Kusanagi get to show up here! :D Also. I love Hokuto. Just saying._

_._

"Eeeer! Gaaaah! Ruuuuh…"

Kusanagi propped one elbow up on the bar and watched the girl struggle with an amused expression.

"Yaaaah!"

"Do you want some help?" He offered with a grin.

"Nope! I got it, thanks!"

He raised an eyebrow.

"Uuuurg-aha!" She cried triumphantly as she freed the sack of rice she had been tugging at for the past ten minutes. She stumbled backward though, nearly topping over into a case of expensive sake before Kusanagi leapt up and caught her. "Ah, thank you." She beamed up at him.

"Why didn't you just let me get it in the first place?'

"Well I can't just go around relying on you all the time, can I?" She replied as he carried the sack to the counter for her. "I mean, what if you aren't here one day?"

He shrugged. "Then you figure something out. But there's nothing wrong with asking for help when I am around right?"

She gave him a funny look but before she could say anything, the door of the café opened.

"Welcome to Benisakura!" Yuzuriha announced gleefully. "What can I get for you?"

"Hm?" the man chuckled. "We have a new waitress I see."

Kusanagi nearly dropped the sack and spun around. "Ah- Yuzuriha-chan, this is Mr. Sakurazuka. He's the owner of the café…"

"Eh? Really? I thought Mr. Kigai owned it."

"Yuuto works for me." The man informed her with a grin as he hung his hat by the door. "I take it he's the one who hired you?"

"Yes sir, just yesterday!"

He looked her over, taking in the innocent and open smile and eagerness to please that seemed to permeate even the air around her. He glanced at Kusanagi. "Why am I not surprised."

Kusanagi shrugged and set down the rice. "You know him."

"Indeed." He made his way to the back room reserved for "special guests". "I'll be in the back."

Kusanagi nodded and they watched him disappear behind the heavy door. Then Yuzuriha sighed and turned to him with hopeful eyes. "Did I mess up?"

"Huh?"

"Is he mad that I didn't recognize him?"

"Oh, probably not. Why?"

"He seemed unhappy to see me."

"It's not you, it's having somebody new in general."

"Eh? Why? Does Mr. Sakurazuka not take change well?"

"No, it's… never mind." Kusanagi sighed. "We should probably get to work."

.

.

The circus? Really? This idiot thought he was going to win her over by bringing her to this shamelessly over-flashy display of cheap gimmicks and animal cruelty? Ha! What a joke. And that iridescent cravat needed to burned. Who did he think he was, dressing up more than her?

"-and I've been thinking of investing in my own private zoo. What do you think sugar? Would you like your very own peacock?" He leaned in close and Hokuto was concerned for a moment that she was going to suffocate in the thick cloud of cologne clinging to him.

"Aren't you enough of one?" she retorted.

He blustered a bit and she ignored him, scanning the fairgrounds outside the big top. Then a wonderfully wicked idea struck her. She knew just how to be rid of this clown.

"Oh Asano-san." She batted her eyelashes. "You know what I'd _really_ like to do right now?" she crooned.

"What is that my pet?"

Pet? What was she, a poodle?

"Let's go see some more of the show animals."

"What? But it's late, they'll be putting them all back in their cages by now."

"Pretty please?" She tugged lightly at his flashy cravat, resisting the urge to wring his neck with it, which she felt was very big of her indeed. "The circus was fun but I think I'd like more of a… private show."

"Oh I see." With that gleam in his muddy eyes, he suddenly reminded her less of a peacock and more of a wolf, albeit a mangy, scrawny one. Probably one with fleas.

"Wait!" She cried as his hand began to wander sluggishly down her waist. "I left my… fan back in the stands! I'll be right back!"

"What? But you didn't have a-"

She scurried away before he could finish, waiting until she was out of sight behind an onigiri cart to flag down one of the working boys. She whispered some hasty instructions in his ear and pressed a few coins into his hand when he initially refused. After examining the coins for a moment to make sure that they were real, the boy agreed and dashed away with a tip of his hat.

When Hokuto returned, the dolt was still standing exactly where she had left him, looking so bewildered that she very nearly felt sorry for him for a second. Then the second passed and she boldly looped her arm through his. "You're right darling. I didn't even bring a fan! I don't know what I was thinking!"

Asano chuckled. "Silly girl. I swear you ladies would lose your heads if they weren't attached to your necks." He guffawed at his own joke and Hokuto imagined stuffing a whole squawking goose in that inelegantly gaping maw of his.

They finally reached the train where the animals were for the most part, already in their cages and Hokuto saw the boy from earlier strolling casually past them, giving her a small wink as he did. Good, the plan was in place.

She dragged Asano down the direction from which the boy had appeared, pleased to see it mostly deserted and shadowy.

"You're so eager." He laughed. "But I like that in a bird[1]."

She supposed that was an attempt at a sexy growl but it sounded more like the sound her brother's dog made when it snored at night.

He pulled her a little closer and she covered her almost gag with a fake giggle. "Not here." She teased. "Let's get a little further out of the way; someone could still pass by."

She peered through the shadows, trying to find just the right car. How was she going to find it like this? She should have asked the boy to leave a lantern by it or something. Then a small blur of movement caught her eye and she saw a tiny glint of beak in the sliver of moonlight peaking down at them. Aha. There it was.

"I think we're far enough away now, don't you?" Hokuto whispered, dragging Asano with her as she backed up toward the cage, quietly so as not to disturb its occupants just yet.

"I should think so." He snore-growled in her ear again.

She braced herself, telling herself that it was all for a good cause, and kissed him, pulling him against her as she leaned back, just barely touching the bars. Unfortunately, he didn't immediately lose balance as she had hoped so she had maneuver slightly to get him to finally brace one hand on the bars behind her and then-

And then it was only a matter of ducking out of the way as he tumbled hands first into a pile of formerly sleeping ostriches. [2]

"What the devil!" He cried through a mouthful of feathers as the ostriches began to squawk in protest.

Hokuto was quick to pull the door shut again before any of the cages occupants could escape.

"Who's the bird now?" She laughed through the bars.

"Let me out of here this instant!" He screamed as his feathery friends began pecking every available limb. "Ouch! Stop that! Dammit woman!"

"Well they aren't as colorful but they're sort of like peacocks aren't they?" Hokuto taunted. "Isn't that what you wanted? Your own private zoo and all?"

"Open the door now!" He roared, his face turning ruddy with fury. "Ow! You filthy, ow- horrid- ouch – creatures!" He yelled, trying to swat away his attackers. "You little bitch!" He screamed over the din.

Hokuto merely stuck her tongue out and tugged down the corner of her eye.

"You will never- ow!- find a decent husband- ouch! – at this rate, you horrible little witch!"

She shrugged. "Suits me just fine if my only options are idiots like you."

And with that she walked away, leaving him to deal with the ostriches on his own.

.

.

"So they're talking about expanding the company into building construction once the private railroad construction sites begin to wane."[3] Subaru scratched behind the ears of his golden retriever, Tadaaki.[4] "Maybe warehouse construction."

"Do you think exports will pick up again anytime soon?"

Subaru started to respond when a bellow downstairs distracted them both.

"_You did WHAT?_"

Kakyou raised his head from their game of chess. "Sounds like Hokuto's home."

Subaru sighed. "And I guess this date went just as well as the last."

"Dare we go watch?"

"Do we ever not?"

Kakyou grinned. "Just remember that it's your move next."

They made their way out of the drawing room and took up their usual positions near the banister, watching the explosive argument unfolding below in the foyer.

"I'm surprised your father hasn't just given up yet. Or let her find someone she wants to marry herself." Kakyou noted.

Subaru rolled his eyes. "Can you imagine the kind of person Hokuto might pick though? I mean knowing her it could be anything from a Mongolian duck farmer to a Brazilian trapeze artist."

When Kakyou recovered from the fit of laughter that particular mental image had sparked, he added, "Well at the very least he could not marry her off to men who are so horribly and obviously wrong for her."

Subaru raised an eyebrow. "And what kind of man do you think would be right for her?"

"One who respected her, and would give her freedom, not clip her wings and put her up on a shelf like some pretty little doll that's just for show."

Subaru gave a soft smile as he turned back to face the arguing pair. "You mean someone like you."

Kakyou blushed to the roots of his hair. "I didn't say that!"

"No, but you meant it didn't you?" Subaru sighed. "You've been watching her go through suitor after suitor, growing more and more agitated with every new guy that shows up. Why haven't you just asked her yourself?"

Kakyou fiddled with a splinter on the underside of the banister, enjoying the feel of the rough, jagged edges. He preferred it to the smooth, polished top of the wood. "Your father would never allow it."

Subaru tilted his head thoughtfully. "At one time, I would have agreed with you but he is getting desperate you know."

"Thanks."

"Huh?" Subaru looked up. "Oh no! I didn't mean it that way! It's just that, well, you know… Father is pretty particular…"

"I know." Kakyou sighed. "Sorry, I shouldn't get so offended. You've always treated me fairly." He tugged at the splinter, feeling the wood give way a little more beneath his prying fingertips. "It's just… I can't help but feel like your father has always seen me exactly the same way: like the lost little homeless boy who showed up uninvited." The sliver came away and he pressed it into his palm. "Then again, he's not very good at reading people in general is he?"

"You mean like Hokuto?" Subaru nodded at his sister who was throwing her hands up in the air at this point, gesturing wildly.

Kakyou nodded. "And you."

"Me?"

"Yeah. It seems like he's only ever seen you as an heir, and therefore, basically just an extension of himself. Someone to take over the company when he's gone. So he's been trying all this time to make you into a younger version of himself without realizing that the cutthroat business world just doesn't really suit you." Kakyou gave him a pointed look. "And you don't really _want_ to have any part of it do you?"

Subaru didn't reply. Rather he was distracted, his face pinched in concern as their father's lecture had dissolved into yet another one of the coughing fits to which he had been prone as of late.

"Daddy…?" Hokuto asked, shifting abruptly from angry to uncertain as the coughing grew more violent.

Kakyou was the first to react at the small splatter of red that splashed across the patriarch's hand. He dashed down the stairs to support the older man even as his knees buckled. Subaru was at his other side a second later and he looked up at Hokuto who was still standing with one hand covering her mouth in surprise. At the sight of her brother's pleading look however, she quickly recovered.

"I'll get the doctor. Take him to his room." She ordered as she dashed away.

Much to their surprise, Mr. Sumeragi made a feeble attempt at protesting but was cut short by another round of body-shaking hacking. Kakyou winced as more blood speckled the floor.

They got the man into bed and Kakyou carefully pulled the bedroom door closed to give he and the doctor who had just arrived a little privacy. It was only then that he realized he himself was trembling slightly and he wondered if he was this shaken up how Hokuto must be feeling. With a small twinge of guilt to be thinking of romance at a time like this, he imagined holding and comforting her in her time of need.

He turned to check on her and immediately deflated when he realized that Hokuto was indeed on the verge of tears but she clearly didn't need his help. Her fingers were already laced through Subaru's, her head comfortably settled on his shoulder as if they had been designed to fit together in such an affectionate pose. Kakyou supposed that in a way they had been and he wondered once more the very thing he had so often questioned over the past eight years.

How was he ever going to be any match for Subaru when it came to Hokuto's affection?

.

_Author's Notes:_

_1. __ "Bird" was an old slang term for a woman in English. It probably wasn't actually used in Japanese but I felt like bringing it in here for the sake of the ostrich scene. XD_

_2. __It would actually be very dangerous to lock someone in a cage with ostriches as they are quite violent. :O I do not recommend trying this at home._

_3. __The Sumeragi family, as I mentioned, own a steel manufacturing company. This industry had doubled in Japan between 1913 and 1919, however was hit by the recession that struck in 1920. One of the few industries still flourishing at that time was the construction of private railroads. I decided for the purposes of this story, so that the Sumeragi family would still be doing well, they had struck a deal with a private railroad company so that it's their steel being used in the construction._

_4. __Tadaaki means "faithful light". _


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

"So I heard that you met the new girl." Yuuto poured a cup of sake.

"Mm-hm."

"Cute isn't she?"

Seishirou accepted the cup with a small nod. "She's adorable." He threw back the sake[1]. "But Yuuto?"

"Yes?" He refilled both of their glasses.

"What the hell were you thinking?"

Yuuto chuckled into his sake. "No, it's perfect see? We can just keep her in the dark. That way if this one gets hauled in, she won't even have any information to hand over."

"And if she does find out?"

"Come now. What are the odds of that? I hired her for her looks, not for her brains."

Seishirou ignored the statement so Yuuto sighed in defeat and decided to simply change the subject.

"So there's some interesting gossip on the streets these days." He began, hoping to spark a little intrigue. He wasn't too surprised when Seishirou merely gave a mild "Hm." and continued devoting his attention to the cup, his eyes closed as he savored the sake.

"They say that Tatsuya[2] Sumeragi has taken ill."

Seishirou didn't glance his way but he did open his eyes and Yuuto knew that he had hit the right spot. He also knew better than to keep the man waiting or try to bait him into asking for more. He had witnessed enough to know not to deny Seishirou something that he wanted.

"From what I hear, he has consumption [3] and has been confined to his bed for nearly two weeks so far."

Seishirou set down the glass and Yuuto felt foolishly giddy that he had indeed struck gold with this tidbit.

"Who is running the company right now?"

"Apparently his son, Subaru, has been starting to take over more lately anyway but I would assume that someone else is helping support him. He's still just a teenager."

"Just a teenager?" Seishirou raised an eyebrow.

"Well it was one thing for _you_ to take over as a teenager." Yuuto backtracked slightly. "But you were a lot more mature. This kid seems to be floundering a little more."

Seishirou considered this carefully, staring at the empty stage across the room. "When was the last time we had a band in here?"

Yuuto shrugged. "I don't know. It's been a while. Why?"

Seishirou gave him a cold grin. "Well we should keep up with the times shouldn't we? Maybe bring a little Jazz to Benisakura[4]?"

"Keep up with the times?" Yuuto laughed. "What's this? Are you having a midlife crisis a few decades early?"

"Well I suppose it would be beneficial to know what's popular right now is all."

Yuuto raised an eyebrow "You never showed any interest before."

"I know and I should probably get to rectifying that now then before I'm too old to be cool, don't you think?"

"Oh come on, what do you really have up your sleeve?"

Seishirou grinned. "Well the sooner you find us a band, the sooner you'll find out."

Yuuto poured himself another cup of sake. "Fair enough. And by that of course I mean not fair at all."

"Ah but Yuuto, old son, when have you ever played fair yourself?"

He chuckled. "Well I didn't become head of the gambling rings[5] by grace of Lady Luck."

"Are you sure? I'd have thought you might have persuaded her to… grant you favor as it were."

Yuuto laughed again. "Perhaps I did."

Seishirou raised his glass. "But be careful Yuuto. Lady Luck is almost as fickle as yourself."

"Almost." Yuuto raised his glass.

"Almost."

They drank.

.

.

"And then after this?"

"There's these papers to read and sign regarding the changes in shipping fees to the U.K."

Subaru nodded and tried his best not to look as bewildered as he felt. "Okay."

"Then you know the visit to the main factory is coming up next week right?"

"Oh, I had forgotten all about that… what day is it?"

"That's on Wednesday. Then on Thursday is the meeting with the Russians."

"Russians?"

"Shareholders."

"Oh, right."

Kakyou watched them both from the doorway, wincing. Subaru was far from incompetent; in fact he usually remembered even better than his father what meetings were when. To see him floundering like this was a reminder of how disoriented his father's incapacitation had left him.

"So I'll leave you these for now and we'll work on the rest in the morning, okay?"

Subaru nodded. "Thank you so much for all of your help Aoki-san."

Aoki gave him a pitying look. "Hey, it's what I'm here for right? At any rate, it's easier than trying to chaperone your sister." He grumbled slightly.

"Well at least she only got you pulled on-stage for a magic show." Kakyou pointed out as he walked in. "If you had still been with them she probably would have locked you in the ostrich cage with what's his face too."

Aoki sighed in defeat. "Well in any case, I've got to go. She's going out tonight again."

"Huh?" Subaru and Kakyou both raised their heads.

"Yes, some new young man who apparently spoke to your father recently. He owns a medical supply company or something."

"What? Hokuto didn't mention this…"

Aoki winced. "That's because she didn't know until a few hours ago."

"He sprung this one on her?" Kakyou tried to hide his annoyance on both Hokuto's behalf and on his own.

"Why?" Subaru added with more genuine curiosity.

"He thinks that if she has less time to plan that she won't be able to pull any pranks."

"But Hokuto comes up with stuff on the spot."

"Exactly."

It was Subaru's turn to give Aoki a pitying look.

.

.

Hokuto was angry.

No, she was furious.

No, she was seething with rage.

What the _hell_ had her father been thinking? Who did he think he was?

How dare he not give her time to find a new outfit before a date!

She huffed and glared at the mess before her. Her bed looked as though a rainbow had been violently ill all over it. She had pink silk kimonos, green cotton peasant skirts, silver satin European evening gowns, some designer, some street market bargains and even a few personal creations of which she was particularly proud. Yet none of it seemed appropriate at all.

Then an idea struck her. She found an old costume from a French-style masquerade ball that they had held last year in honor of a new company merger, praying that the dress would still fit.

"Success!" She cried in triumph as the material settled neatly on her hips. She examined herself in the mirror, happily spinning around.

So some new joker wanted to barge into her life did he? Well they'd just see how much he remained interested in having her on his arm once he got a look at this.

She heard voices downstairs and walked out to the banister to see Aoki greeting a young man in the foyer. Hokuto paused. Was that really the date? He wasn't old or ugly so surely not.

Then Aoki turned around with his huge goofy grin which dissipated almost immediately once he caught sight of her up on the banister. Her outfit, she presumed, had indeed rendered him speechless.

"Oh no…" He choked.

"Hello there!" Hokuto called loudly, her voice ringing through the foyer. She began to take a step toward the staircase, but thought of a much better idea and before anyone could stop her, she swung her legs up over the side of the railing and slid down it, hopping off just in time to make a perfect landing before the two men, one of whom appeared to be doing his best to bury his face in his hands.

"Hoku-" His voice was muffled and easy to cut off.

"Hi there." She pushed past him to plant her feet firmly before their guessed. "I'm Hokuto, and you are?"

The man chuckled and she was pleased to find that his laugh was nearly as attractive as his face. He certainly couldn't be her date; he was not nearly repulsive enough to be up to her father's standards, even up close.

"Seishirou Sakurazuka." The man bowed politely. "Pleased to make your acquaintance, Miss Hokuto."

"She's just-" Aoki tried desperately to find an explanation. "I mean her clothes are only-"

"Delightful." Sakurazuka finished for him, ignoring Aoki's jaw drop. "And as graceful as that descent was, I daresay a swan costume suits you well, wings and all, given your propensity to 'fly' as it were." His eyes glittered with cool amusement.

"Ohoho! You are a flirt, aren't you Mr. Sakurazuka." Hokuto laughed then spun around to face the utterly speechless Aoki. "Better not let my date hear him, eh? When does the old knob-gozzler get here anyway?"

"Hokuto-sama!" Aoki choked.

"Knob-gozzler?" She ignored Seishirou's baffled head tilt.

"He _is _your date." Aoki hastened to explain.

"Nonsense." Hokuto waved a hand.

Seishirou laughed. "Am I not up to your standards?"

Hokuto turned with slow deliberation and gave him a thorough look-over that neither man could miss. "Are you really my consort for the evening?" She gave him a suspicious look, ignoring Aoki's frantic sputtering.

"Well I had hoped that you would accompany to the theater tonight." He replied without missing a beat.

"I see." She sniffed. "Well. You'll do then I guess. Shall we Mr. Sakurazuka?"

"Of course." He offered his arm and she took it, delighted by the occidental display. "You'd better hurry up Aoki-san or we're leaving you behind." She called over her shoulder as they strode through the door.

The poor accountant couldn't do much else but straight his glasses and tie and follow them with a resigned and slightly terrified expression.

.

.

Unfortunately for this Seishirou Sakurazuka person, Hokuto did not care how attractive he was. All that meant as far as she was concerned was that she had some nice eye candy to enjoy while she plotted out how to run him off.

Of course, first she had to get rid of Aoki. Not that that was ever much of a challenge. A gentle suggestion that she "knew a shortcut" to the theater that led them through the twists and turns of an alleyway and a quickened tug at Mr. Sakurazuka's sleeve lost the poor accountant in no time. Sakurazuka, in turn, said nothing and she assumed that he either had not yet noticed the loss of the chaperone, or was pleased, thinking that the alone time with her would be to his benefit tonight.

_Ha._ Hokuto thought triumphantly. _If only he knew how wrong he is._

Upon reaching the theater, she patiently allowed him to introduce her to a few business partners who were of course conveniently also attending the play that evening. She played the part of the charming little decoration she was clearly meant to be for a short time, until someone commented on her outfit, comparing her to a goose, at which point she promptly clobbered the fool on the head, announcing that she would therefore give him a "goose egg".

She was unsurprised that Seishirou quickly took her elbow leading her away from the group of businessmen too astonished to even be offended just yet. Now was time for him to either snap and be angry with her for making him look bad, or awkwardly pretend that nothing had happened and shy away from her for fear of yet another attack. Once they were a safe distance away and in a quieter corner, Hokuto put her hands on her hips, ready for any reaction.

Any reaction but the one she got.

She had been able to feel Sakurazuka-san shaking as he'd pulled her away and she had assumed that it was either in anger or terror. Only now that they were face to face could she see that it was in barely suppressed laughter.

"Marvelous." He remarked at last when he was able to catch his breath. "Simply marvelous."

.

.

"Subaru?" Kakyou knocked once more on the door before letting himself into the office. With a sigh, he gently shook the young man's shoulders, rousing him from his sleep.

"Huh?" came the drowsy reply.

"You left the lantern on again. It's like you want to catch something on fire." Kakyou teased softly. "Also I think you drooled a bit on the papers for the Russians."

Subaru's head snapped up. "No I did- oh wait, you're right." He sighed and pushed the papers aside, arranging them in some semblance of a stack.

"You're running yourself ragged."

"I've got to catch up."

"You don't have to be as obsessed with being on top as your father though."

Subaru sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "It's not really about making a lot of money. Not for myself."

Kakyou extinguished the lamp as they left the room. "Then what is it?"

"The economy is terrible right now and our company means jobs for so many people… If I screw up, they end up being the ones who suffer for it."

By the moonlight peering in from the window, Subaru looked much older than he was, the silver light casting a gray tint to his hair and skin, painting dark shadows beneath his eyes. Kakyou didn't know what to say, aware that Subaru was right. Would he behave any differently in his position?

The train of thought was abruptly derailed by the front door creaking open and Hokuto slipping inside, uncharacteristically quiet and looking lost in her own thoughts as well.

Subaru and Kakyou glanced at one another.

"Hokuto-chan?" Subaru called and she at last noticed the two of them. "Back from the date?" Then wearily, he added "I see Aoki-san isn't with you…"

"What pranks did you play on him and the new little scumbag?" Kakyou inquired. If he were honest with himself, he adored hearing about her dates. Her pranks and mistreatment of every suitor that crossed her path eased the jealousy like nothing else.

"Hm." Hokuto shrugged. "Didn't really."

Subaru and Kakyou shared another glance, this time in shock.

"Why not?" Kakyou was dismayed.

She tilted her head slightly, giving the matter serious consideration. "Because he's interesting." She at last concluded then gave a brilliant smile as though she herself had only just realized this and for once, she was pleased.

With that she bounded forward and kissed each of them on the cheek and bid them both good night before dashing away to bed.

"Well… huh." Subaru commented lamely and Kakyou tried to ignore the twisting in his heart as they too parted.

He thought he had known jealousy until this point but he had a feeling that the stirrings of envy were only just beginning.

.

.

Notes:

1. Sake is traditionally supposed to be drunk as a shot with the first cup and then sipped.

2. Tatsuya means "Accomplished one" in Japanese according to what I found. I thought that would be appropriate considering Mr. Sumeragi's ample success in the business world so far. XD

3. I had a bit of a chat with my best friend about this actually as she loves and knows all about medical history. What we concluded was that Tatsuya actually has lung cancer, probably as a result of smoking as cigarettes were apparently popular at this time and no one had any idea that they could be dangerous yet. Unfortunately for Mr. Sumeragi, they also didn't know what cancer was yet either. So there was nothing that they could have done for him and as he would be wasting away, they would have labeled his illness "consumption" and it would have been clear that he was not going to recover. (I know, cheerful righ)

4. I meant to mention in the previous chapter when the café was first introduced that "Benisakura" means "red cherry blossom". It's both a play on the restaurant "Benihana" (which means red flower) and a reference of course to Seishirou's bloody little sakura tree in Tokyo Babylon and X.

5. I should mention right now that gambling was illegal in Japan in the 1920's (it still is actually) and so underground gambling rings were often run by the yakuza.


End file.
